Security forces investigating the abduction of Irish priest Father Michael Sinnott in the Philippines said today the Columban priest has been spotted with his captors in the southern coastal area.
Fr Sinnott, who was born in Wexford in 1929, was abducted in Pagadian City on the restive island of Mindanao as he was taking a walk on Sunday evening.
Witnesses say they saw six men bundle Fr Sinnott into a van at gunpoint and later drag him into a boat.
The abduction is the latest hostage crisis to grip this predominantly Roman Catholic nation, which has grappled with decades-long Muslim separatist unrest in the south, the homeland of minority Muslims.
A military general said troops and navy gunboats were attempting to encircle suspected Muslim militants to pressure them into releasing Fr Sinnott.
Major General Benjamin Dolorfino said military informants twice saw Fr Sinnott and his captors wandering in a coastal area yesterday.
They were seen again today trekking in the mountainous hinterland near the coast, Maj Gen Dolorfino said.
At least four navy gunboats and army troops moved to box them in but there was no immediate plan for a military rescue, he said.
Provincial officials formed a hostage crisis committee to try to identify negotiators who could try to persuade the kidnappers to free Fr Sinnott, Maj Gen Dolorfino said.
“We’re trying to contain them in one area to be in a position of strength,” he said.
Ireland’s ambassador to Singapore, Richard O’Brien, who is accredited to the Philippines, has travelled to Manila as efforts to locate the armed gang who kidnapped Fr Sinnott continue.
“We’ve sent out teams to scour coastal areas in Lanao del Sur and Zamboanga peninsula to look for the kidnappers,” national police chief Jesus Verzosa told reporters yesterday.
Family and friends of Fr Sinnott, who underwent heart by-pass surgery some years ago, are concerned that he does not have access to his regular medication.
In a statement, the Bishop of Pagadian, Emmanuel Cabajar, appealed to Fr Sinnott’s kidnappers to treat him with respect and release him without delay.
“Fr Mick is not in the best of health and badly needs his daily dosage of medicine. It is urgent that some arrangements be made to ensure that Fr Mick gets his medicine.
“So, let me reiterate my appeal to the good sense of the abductors to respect and provide Fr Mick with all his needs, especially medical needs. He is a man of peace. Please allow him to go back to his charitable work,” the bishop added.
No one has claimed responsibility for the abduction, but local authorities are said to suspect that either the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group or the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front were involved. Witnesses say the boat carrying Fr Sinnott headed towards a MILF stronghold in the neighbouring province of Lanao del Norte.
In a statement, local Muslim group Ummah Fi Salam, deplored the kidnapping and paid tribute to Fr Sinnott’s work with children with special needs. It noted that the priest was a member of Pagadian City’s interfaith forum, and had contributed much to “understanding and peace building” in the area.
“This act is against the morality of Islam. In solidarity, we join our Christian brethren in strongly condemning this act. We also pray for his safety and immediate release,” Ummah Fi Salam said.
President Mary McAleese yesterday expressed her concern for Fr Sinnott’s safety.
“This is a most difficult time for Fr Michael’s family and the entire Columban Community. Let us hope that those who seized him will reflect on what they have done and release this elderly, hard-working priest back to his community and to his work,” she said.
Fr Sinnott first travelled to Mindanao in 1957, following his studies in Rome. He has worked in the Philippines for much of the five decades since, and in 1998 he established a centre for children with special needs. The Hangop Kabataan centre currently caters for around 60 children.